Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-12-08

Philadelphia Record

Upon economic grounds, wholly apart
from any moral consideration, there is
reason to s3lieve that the masses of
American workingmen sre not willing to
accept & repeal Of the in1ernaI taTes on
whisky and toOsccO as al alternative to 4
repeal Cf the burdens Of tuxstiOn upon
the neCessErles Of living and the raw
materials OF labor But, strangely
enough, 8 repeal OF the Internal revenue
system is favOrably regarded in mercantile
and business circles where il could hardly
be supposed that so desperate 8 financial
policy could be harbored. Bankers
and merchants, who are, or
Ousht TO be, keeGly alive to
the importance OF maintaining 5 sound
fiscal system as essential to the public
credit, have only to C0nsider what would
be the effect Of the threatened policy ia
csse the country should become involved
in an expensive foreign war, or 10 ilaa-
cisI embarrassments from any cause. IN
the event OF foreign war, il preparation
for which il IS proposed 10 exDaud hun
dreds Of millions Of dollars for fleets and
publications., no dependence could De
placed upon revenues from customs.
With the internal revenue system a50l-
ished, whence would the country drs 81 It's
mems Of meeting It's military 5Xpentl-
lures ana preserving its credit?
Happily we have had such en- abu1=
dance Of experience on this subject thg Il
there caa hardly De & possibility OF eTriEg
IN 1t. II the second year OF the civil war,
1862, the revenues from customs amount
co to bat $40, 200, 900, Notwithstanding
tne large increase in the rates OF duty.
The receipts from Internal revenues
we're $l,795 0C0. The Ioaus in
1852 amounted to $433 0G0,O0 II
1863 the customs amounted 70 $50, -
100000, the internal revenues 10 $50. -
GEO. 900, and the loans to S595, Or @, 600.
In 1864 the customs amounted 10 5i02. e.
000 600, the internal revenues 70 $40, 600,
600, and the lOg1s 10 1926 900 600. In
1866 the customs announced to $50 900,
600, the internal revenues 10 S2i0, 600 000,
and the loans 10 1854 OOO, 900 in 1856
the customs amounted TO SI79, 200, 600,
the internal revenues to 33I1 600, 600, and
the loans TO SOP 500 900.
These figures sufficiently explain them
selves. II was not until the yeSr after
the var that the internal revenue system
came into full operation, bur the mis-
f-cai machinery Deen in existence in
1850, il need rot be said what financial
Calamities would have been averted. But
it is nos proposed, in the face of this
ismaI experience, to abolish the Yolun-
tary internal taxes that are lightly
borne and leave the country to the pre-
CsriOus resources of duties upon Imports
Should a foreign war occur the inevitable
result Of such policy would be a new
epoch Of forced loans, greenb5ck imitation
and national disCredIt with ell their
ConComita1t evils. II il be wise and pru-
dent TO create 4 els and erect fOrtifcs
lions for national defense, Ia it not quite
IS important to maintain a sound fscal
system capable OF NEE ing any financial
emergency Of government.
/ YsJ, at the approaching session OF the
Eftieth Congress, as was seen in the
! FOrtY-ninth Congress, VII be found
| statesmen XsggerstiDg the dangers Of
| foreign war as preteX5 for vast military
| expenditures, and at the ssmetime adVO-
! eating the abandonment Of fsCa
| policy that would be as essential fol
successful war as would fleets and armies
| II there be any virtue IL the maxim, "In
tune of peace prepare for Wsr,'
! then repeal of the internal revenue sys-
| tenn would De an act of supreme legislat-
i've folly. But, whether in peace or il
war, in financial Prosperity or in distress
! there are no means of large public rev
anne so equitable, sosc0nYenient, and 81
fcheaply collect sslthe voluntary taxes
widen men pay Qnsdeif whisky and to
| b3ceo. 81